JP2008160338A - Image read controller and image read control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading controller capable of scanning an original equal to or larger than an image sensor width and copying it by an original carrying system using an ADF in the image reading controller for which space saving and cost reduction are demanded. <P>SOLUTION: In the image reading controller, the carrying direction of a read original is orthogonal to the moving direction of an image sensor and an automatic document feeder and the image sensor are alternately moved to read the original. Also, the image reading controller is provided with an image data fetching means for fetching image data read by the image sensor and an original carrying means for carrying the original for the image data read by the image sensor. The image reading controller is provided with a control means for repeatedly executing the fetching of the image data by the image data fetching means and original carriage by the original carrying means after the original carrying means carries the original. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that prints image regions read by a reading device while sequentially processing images. That is, an image read by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CIS (Contact Image Sensor) is converted into a digital value, and the converted digital image data is subjected to image processing to be printed by an inkjet printer or a laser printer. Output to the device. The present invention relates to an image reading control apparatus and an image reading control method for a scanner unit of a multifunction machine having such a function and having a digital copying function.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a document transport system that has an image sensor of a document reading width and uses an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as “ADF”), the document transport direction and the scan direction of the image sensor are the same. Documents that are larger than the width cannot be read.

Further, there is known a method of scanning a document by replacing the print head portion formed in a cartridge with a scanner head, making the scanner head perpendicular to the document transport direction with a short image sensor width (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).
JP-A-8-321911

  Conventionally, a document transport system using ADF has a problem that a document having an image sensor width or larger cannot be scanned.

  The scanner head exchange type image reading apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that copying cannot be performed while scanning.

  In addition, the conventional example has a problem in that, when there is no page memory, copying cannot be performed without a PC.

  Furthermore, the above conventional example requires a mechanism for manually replacing the print head and the scanner head or automatically replacing them, which is disadvantageous in terms of usability and cost.

  In the above scanner head replacement method, since the image sensor width is short, reciprocation is required for many passes to scan one sheet, which is not suitable for a wide range of reading resolutions. Further, since the book document cannot be scanned, there is a problem that it is limited to the sheet document.

  The present invention is an image reading control apparatus that requires space saving and cost reduction. An image that can scan a document having an image sensor width or larger and can copy an image using a document transport system using ADF. An object is to provide a reading control device.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an image reading control apparatus capable of reducing the capacity of the image processing related buffer memory to be equal to or smaller than the width of the image sensor.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an image reading control apparatus capable of reducing the capacity of an image processing buffer memory.

The present invention is an image reading control device that reads a document by causing the conveyance direction of the read document and the moving direction of the image sensor to be orthogonal to each other, and the automatic document feeder and the image sensor to move alternately. In addition, the present invention includes an image data capturing unit that captures image data read by the image sensor, and a document transport unit that transports a document by the amount of image data read by the image sensor. The present invention includes a control unit that repeatedly executes the image data capturing by the image data capturing unit and the document transporting by the document transport unit after the document transport unit transports the document.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to read a document having an image sensor width or larger.

Further, according to the fifth and eighth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to save the space of the main body while supporting both ADF sheet originals and flat bed book originals.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention is the following embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image reading control apparatus 100 that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  The image reading control apparatus 100 includes a reading device 101 and a read document 102.

  The reading device 101 is composed of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CIS (Contact Image Sensor) that scans a document and outputs RGB analog signals, and is an example of an A4 image sensor.

  When the image sensor reads a document, there are a method in which acquired data is cut out by an input unit, and a method in which a plurality of sensor chips are arranged and a sensor output area is controlled in units of sensor chips. In any case, data of the image sensor area that is a part of the entire reading range is acquired.

  A book manuscript surface 103 is a manuscript surface shared by a part of a sheet manuscript 102 using an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as “ADF”) and a flatbed (book) scan using no ADF. is there.

  When the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 is set, the image sensor 101 repeatedly operates on the book original surface 103 and sequentially reads the book original surface 103.

  The read original 102 is an original having a width equal to or larger than the width of the image sensor 101 (here, A4 width) set on the ADF, and FIG. 1 shows a case where the A3 read original 102 is set. is there.

  A document having a width equal to or larger than the width of the image sensor 101 is moved while scanning the image sensor 101 in a direction orthogonal to the ADF conveyance direction, and the conveyance of the document 102 by the ADF and the movement of the image sensor 101 are repeated. 102 is scanned.

  In FIG. 1, the image sensor 101 is shown to perform reading in both the forward path and the backward path. However, the case where the scan direction is only one direction can be considered in the same manner as described above.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the image processing unit 200 of the image reading control apparatus 100.

  The image processing unit 200 of the image reading control apparatus 100 includes a reading device 201, a reading input / output circuit 202, a shading processing / compression processing unit 203, an image processing block 210, a memory 230, and a recording processing block 240. .

  A reading device 201 scans a document and outputs an RGB analog signal, such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CIS (Contact Image Sensor 101), and an AFE (Analog Front End) that converts the analog signal into a digital signal. ) Device.

  The reading input / output circuit 202 takes in the output signal of the reading device 201 and develops image data on the memory. Further, the reading input / output circuit 202 performs reading device control signal output, AFE (analog front end) control signal output for A / D conversion of the output signal of the reading device 201, and dimming control of the sensor light source. The reading input / output circuit 202 performs feedback PWM control, generation of a horizontal synchronizing signal that defines horizontal synchronization of reading, start of reading, and end of reading based on an input image signal. Further, the reading input / output circuit 202 has an interrupt signal generation function synchronized with a horizontal synchronization signal for motor control and the like, and a reading area setting function for reading from the reading device 201.

  The shading processing / compression processing unit 203 performs shading processing within the set effective reading range of the image sensor 101, and performs compression processing when storing image data. A configuration without compression processing can be considered similarly.

  The image processing block 210 includes a color correction block 211, an image area separation block 212, a filter processing block 213, a scaling processing block 214, a color space conversion block 215, and a block buffer RAM 220. The color correction block 211, the image area separation block 212, the filter processing block 213, the scaling processing block 214, and the color space conversion block 215 each perform image processing in units of blocks.

  The color correction block 211 has a block processing unit that performs γ correction independently for R, G, and B using an input data masking block process that performs RGB color correction and a lookup table (LUT). The image area separation block 212 performs pixel determination of a character / line drawing outline portion by inputting RGB image data of 8 bits or more. When the distance between white and black is narrowed, the contrast is lowered and blurring occurs. This performance is corrected by an MTF (amplitude transfer function) correction filter.

  The filter processing block 213 performs filter processing such as filter processing in the main scanning direction for reducing moire, edge enhancement of image brightness components (L), and enhancement processing of chroma (Ca, Cb). The scaling processing block 214 performs reduction and enlargement using linear interpolation or the like. The color space conversion block 215 converts RGB multivalued image data into L, Ca, and Cb signals, and converts them into YcbCr, SRGB, and sYCbCr.

  The block buffer RAM 220 pastes a line buffer to each conventional image processing block, uses the image block buffer, sequentially connects the image processing blocks 210 (blocks 211 to 215) to the rectangular image in the buffer, and Process.

  Furthermore, by setting the number of blocks in the sensor direction (block * -X, where “*” is an arbitrary number) as the “reading effective range set below the width of the image sensor 101”, image processing is performed. The buffer RAM capacity required for the above can be reduced. Since the rectangular image area of the input image expanded on the memory is transferred to the image processing module and processed, a two-dimensional buffer can be configured with a minimum memory capacity for image processing of the rectangular image area. it can.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between the effective reading range of the image reading control apparatus 100 and motor driving.

  The effective reading range of the image sensor 101 is the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 indicated by hatching in FIG. 1, and X × Y blocks of Xpixel × Yline in FIG. Data. The case where Xpixel is equal to the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 is also considered as described above.

  A motor drive diagram is described at the bottom of FIG. 3, and this motor drive diagram shows an operation when scanning in the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 while driving the motor in the direction of the image sensor 101 (Yline direction). . When the scan for the first effective reading range of the image sensor 101 is completed, the ADF performs control for conveying the original for the effective reading range and restarting the scanning for the next reading width. The order of data processing including image processing is the order of arrows (→) shown in FIG. 3 when the image sensor 101 performs scanning while performing repetitive operations. In the case of a one-way repetitive operation without a repetitive operation, the data processing order of the first effective reading range of the image data is repeated.

  Next, an operation for scanning control of the ADF document will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation for scanning control of the ADF document in the image reading control apparatus 100.

  The copy or scan operation is started by the operation key (S1). It is checked whether or not a document is set on the ADF (S2). If a document is set on the ADF (Yes), the reading mode (resolution, copy / scan) of ADF scan is set (S3). Then, the remaining memory capacity of the system (or the image processing related buffer) is acquired (S4). Based on the reading mode (resolution) and the remaining memory capacity, a reading effective range of the image sensor 101 is set (S5).

  Subsequently, the compression rate in the case of accumulating read image data is set (S6). It is not necessary to set the compression rate. As a setting method of the reading effective range and the compression rate of the image sensor 101, there are a method of setting based on a parameterized correlation table or a method of calculating from a correlation formula. The objective is to optimize the system so that it can be configured with a predetermined memory capacity.

  Next, the sheet document is fed to the reading start position (S7), and the movement of the image sensor 101 is started (S8). Further, scanning of the sensor main scanning line is started within the set effective reading range of the image sensor 101 (S9). It is checked whether the image sensor 101 has detected the paper edge in the moving direction (S10). If not detected (No), the scan of S9 is repeated. If the paper end is detected in S10 (Yes), the movement of the image sensor 101 is stopped (S11). Further, it is checked whether or not the trailing edge of the ADF read document is detected (S12). If the trailing edge of the document is not detected (No), the document is conveyed by the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 (S14). The moving direction of the image sensor 101 is switched and set (S15).

  Returning to S8, the repetitive movement of the image sensor 101 is started. When the trailing edge of the original is detected in S12 (Yes), the read original is discharged (S13), and the scan / copy operation is terminated (S16).

  If the original is not set in the ADF in S2 and a copy or scan operation is prompted by the operation key (No), the process proceeds to Step A (FIG. 5).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation for scanning control of a book document in the image reading control apparatus 100.

  The reading mode (resolution, copy / scan) of book original scanning is set (S21). Subsequently, the remaining memory capacity of the system (or image processing related buffer) is acquired (S22). The effective reading range of the image sensor 101 is set based on the reading mode (resolution) and the remaining memory capacity (S23). Subsequently, a compression rate in the case of accumulating read image data is set (S24).

  A configuration in which the compression rate is not set is also conceivable. As a setting method of the reading effective range and the compression rate of the image sensor 101, there are a method of setting based on a parameterized correlation table or a method of calculating from a correlation formula. The purpose is to optimize the memory so that it can be configured with a predetermined memory capacity as in the case of ADF scanning. If the memory capacity of the system is allowed in S23, the image sensor 101 is set to the width of the image sensor 101 by setting the image sensor 101 to the reading device 201 capable of parallel output, and high-speed reading is performed. May be switchable.

  Subsequently, the movement of the image sensor 101 is started (S25). Further, scanning of the sensor main scanning line is started within the set effective reading range of the image sensor 101 (S26). It is checked whether the image sensor 101 has detected the paper edge in the moving direction (S27). If the paper edge in the moving direction is not detected (No), the scan of S26 is repeated. If the paper end in the movement direction is detected in S27 (Yes), the movement of the image sensor 101 is stopped (S28). Further, it is checked whether or not the trailing edge of the read document is detected (S29). If the trailing edge of the read document is not detected (No), the reading effective range of the image sensor 101 is set to the reading effective range of the next image sensor 101. Switching to the area (S30). Then, the moving direction of the image sensor 101 is switched (S31).

  Subsequently, the process returns to S25, and the repeated movement of the image sensor 101 is started. If the trailing edge of the document is detected in S29 (Yes), the scan / copy operation is terminated (S32).

  FIG. 6 is a correlation diagram illustrating an example of the reading resolution and the image processing-related buffer capacity with respect to the effective reading range of the image reading control apparatus 100.

  As the reading resolution that is set increases, the buffer capacity related to image processing for the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 increases. It also shows that as the reading effective range of the image sensor 101 increases, the buffer capacity related to image processing for the reading resolution increases. When it is desired to set the buffer memory capacity related to image processing to a predetermined amount (optimum memory capacity), the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 in S5 of FIG. 4 and S23 of FIG. 5 is set with the correlation shown in FIG. A way to do this is also conceivable.

  According to the first embodiment, it is possible to read a document having a width equal to or larger than that of the image sensor 101 while reducing the space of the main body, and to reduce the buffer memory capacity related to image processing to a predetermined amount.

  The above-described embodiment is an image reading control apparatus that reads a document by causing the conveyance direction of the read document and the moving direction of the image sensor to be orthogonal, and the automatic document feeder and the image sensor to move alternately. Further, the embodiment includes an image data capturing unit that captures image data read by the image sensor, and a document transport unit that transports a document by the amount of image data read by the image sensor. In the above-described embodiment, the image reading unit includes a control unit that repeatedly executes image data capturing by the image data capturing unit and document transportation by the document transport unit after the document transport unit transports the document. It is an example of a control apparatus.

  In this case, there is provided means for acquiring data in the effective reading range set to be equal to or smaller than the width of the image sensor as shading correction data and processing the data in units of X_pixel × Y_line blocks. Then, the capacity of the image processing related buffer memory is reduced to be equal to or smaller than the width of the image sensor. X_pixel is the set effective range or less than the effective range, and Y_line is the set number of lines.

  The width scanned and read by the image sensor is a range set based on the reading mode and the remaining memory capacity, and the read image is stored in the memory based on the reading mode and the remaining memory capacity. The compression ratio is set.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, in the image reading apparatus that reads a sheet or a book document on the reading surface of the flat bed, a repetitive scanning unit that causes the image sensor to repetitively scan the image area according to the reading mode and the remaining memory capacity. Have. The image reading control apparatus according to the embodiment includes image data capturing means for capturing image data scanned by the image sensor, and reduces the capacity of the image processing related buffer memory to be equal to or less than the capacity of the width of the image sensor. It is an example.

  In the above case, the width that the image sensor outputs in parallel and the image sensor scans and reads is an effective width unit of one output of the parallel output.

  In the above embodiment, the effective reading range of the image sensor 101 is set. Instead of doing this, the data read by the image sensor 101 is captured without setting the effective reading range, the document is transported by the amount of image data scanned by the image sensor 101, and the image data capture and document transport May be repeated.

  In the above-described embodiment, since the document conveyance direction and the moving direction of the image sensor 101 are orthogonal to each other and reciprocal scanning is performed, an image processing buffer memory increases during various image processing, rotation, and connection required. Memory capacity decreases.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the capture width and compression rate of the image sensor 101 are set according to the reading mode (copy, scan, resolution) and the remaining memory capacity, so that the capacity of the image processing buffer memory can be reduced. Can do.

  Further, in the above embodiment, in the case of the parallel output image sensor 101, the reading width of one pass is set in units of parallel output channels, and the parallel output and the single output are switched depending on the reading mode and the remaining memory capacity. Therefore, the system performance can be optimized by the memory configuration.

  That is, in the above embodiment, the effective reading range is set to be equal to or smaller than the image sensor width, and shading data is also acquired for the effective reading range. Therefore, the shading buffer is reduced and the block unit of image processing is set to be equal to or less than the reading effective width. This reduces the image processing buffer, sets the effective range of the image processing related buffers (for shading and image processing), and reduces the memory capacity. That is, there is provided means for acquiring shading correction data in the effective reading range set to be equal to or smaller than the width of the image sensor.

  In other words, it can be realized within a predetermined memory capacity according to the system (cost), and in order to extract the specifications (speed) as much as possible within the predetermined memory, the reading mode and the remaining memory capacity are set. Accordingly, the effective reading range is set.

That is, the above-described embodiment has means for acquiring shading correction data in the effective reading range set to be equal to or less than the width of the image sensor, and has means for processing in units of X_pixel × Y_line blocks. X_pixel is the set effective range or less than the effective range, and Y_line is the set number of lines. The embodiment described above is an embodiment in which the capacity of the image processing related buffer memory is reduced to be equal to or less than the capacity of the width of the image sensor.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image reading control apparatus 100 that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing unit 200 of the image reading control apparatus 100. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a reading effective range and motor driving of the image reading control apparatus 100. 5 is a flowchart showing an ADF document scan control operation in the image reading control apparatus 100. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of book document scan control of the image reading control apparatus 100. 6 is a correlation diagram illustrating an example of a reading resolution and a buffer capacity related to image processing with respect to a reading effective range of the image reading control apparatus 100. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

100: Image reading control device,
101: Image sensor,
102 ... manuscript,
200: Image processing unit,
201 ... reading device,
202... Reading input / output circuit,
210 ... image processing block,
220: Block buffer RAM,
230 ... Memory,
240: Recording processing block.

Claims (8)

An image reading control device for reading a document, wherein the conveyance direction of the read document and the moving direction of the image sensor are orthogonal to each other, and the automatic document feeder and the image sensor move alternately.
Image data capturing means for capturing image data read by the image sensor;
Document conveying means for conveying the document by the amount of image data read by the image sensor;
Control means for repeatedly executing image data capture by the image data capture means and document transport by the document transport means after the document transport means transports the document;
An image reading control apparatus comprising: In claim 1,
It has means for acquiring shading correction data of a reading effective range set to be equal to or less than the width of the image sensor, and has means for processing in units of X_pixel × Y_line blocks (X_pixel is a set effective range or effective range) And Y_line is the set number of lines),
An image reading control apparatus, wherein the capacity of an image processing-related buffer memory is reduced to be equal to or less than the width of the image sensor. In claim 1 or claim 2,
An image reading control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a width read by the image sensor is determined based on a reading mode and a remaining memory capacity. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3,
An image reading control apparatus characterized in that a compression rate for storing a read image in a memory is set based on a reading mode and a remaining memory capacity. In an image reading apparatus that reads a sheet or book document on the reading surface of a flat bed,
Repetitive scanning means for causing the image sensor to repetitively scan the image area according to the reading mode and the remaining memory capacity;
Image data capturing means for capturing image data scanned by the image sensor;
And an image processing control buffer memory, wherein the capacity of the image processing related buffer memory is reduced to be equal to or less than the width of the image sensor. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
The image sensor outputs in parallel,
An image reading control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a width scanned and read by the image sensor is an effective width unit of one output of the parallel output. In the control method of the image reading control device for reading a document, the conveyance direction of the read document and the moving direction of the image sensor are orthogonal, the automatic document feeder and the image sensor move alternately,
An image data capturing step for capturing image data read by the image sensor;
A document transporting process for transporting a document by the amount of image data read by the image sensor;
A control step of repeatedly executing image data fetching in the image data fetching step and document feeding in the document feeding step after the manuscript is transported in the document transporting step;
A control method for an image reading control apparatus. In a control method of an image reading apparatus that reads a sheet or a book document on a reading surface of a flat bed,
An iterative scanning step for causing the image sensor to repeatedly scan an image area corresponding to the reading mode and the remaining memory capacity;
An image data capturing step for capturing image data scanned by the image sensor;
And a capacity of the image processing-related buffer memory is reduced to be equal to or less than a capacity of the width of the image sensor.

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